John 17:2

John 17:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
• New International Version (NIV)For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.

Context of John 17:2

1After Jesus said this, he looked up to heaven. He said, ‘Father, the time has now arrived. Show everyone how great your Son is. So then I, the Son, can show how great you are. You gave me authority over all people. You did this so that I could give people life for ever. Those are the people that you gave to me. 3What does it mean for people to live with you for ever? It means that they know you, the one who is the only true God. They also know me, Jesus Christ, the one that you have sent. 4I have shown people here on the earth how great you are. In that way, I have finished the work that you gave to me to do.

John 17:2 word by word

καθὼς ἔδωκας αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν πάσης σαρκός, ἵνα πᾶν ὃ δέδωκας αὐτῷ, δώσῃ αὐτοῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• thou hast givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• power overἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• eternalαἰώνιοςaiōnios · eternalG166
• lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
• asὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739

Cross-references for John 17:2

• John 3:35The Father loves the Son. He has given his Son authority over all things.
• John 5:21The Father raises dead people to make them alive again. In the same way, the Son gives life to whoever he chooses.
• Psalms 2:6‘I have put my king on his throne in Zion. I have put him on my holy mountain.’
• Psalms 110:1The Lord God said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right side until I win against your enemies. Then you will be able to put your feet on them.’
• Daniel 7:14God gave him great honour and authority to rule as king. The people of all nations and those who spoke every language agreed to serve him. He has authority to rule for ever. He will never stop being king. Nobody will be able to destroy his kingdom.
• Matthew 11:27My Father has given me authority over all things. Only the Father really knows me, his Son. Only I really know my Father, because I am his Son. I also choose to tell some people about him. Then they also know him.
• Matthew 28:18Jesus went near to them and he said to them, ‘God has given me authority over everyone and everything. I have all authority in heaven and in this world.
• 1 Corinthians 15:25Christ himself must rule as king until he has won against all his enemies.
• Ephesians 1:20He used that power to raise Christ, so that he became alive again after his death. Then he gave Christ a place to sit at his right side in heaven.
• Philippians 2:10As a result, when people hear Jesus' name, they must worship him. Everyone will have to go down on their knees in front of him. That includes everything that is in heaven, everything on the earth and everything under the earth.
• Hebrews 1:2But in these last days, he has spoken to us in his Son. In the beginning, God worked through his Son to make the whole universe. He decided that everything should belong to his Son.
• Hebrews 2:8You caused them to rule over everything.’ It says that God has caused people to rule over everything. That means that there is nothing that people do not have authority over. But at this time, we do not yet see that people rule over everything.
• 1 Peter 3:22After that, Jesus went into heaven. Now he is sitting at God's right side. He rules over angels and over everything that has authority and power.
• John 17:24Father, you have given these people to me. I want them to be with me where I am. Then they will see how great I am. You made me great because you loved me. You loved me even before the world began.
• John 4:14But I can give people a different kind of water. Everyone who drinks that kind of water will never get thirsty again. The water that I give them will become like a well inside them. That well will continue to provide water that gives them life for ever with God.’
• John 6:27Do not work only for that kind of food. It soon becomes spoiled. Instead, work to get the food that continues for ever. That kind of food gives you life with God. The Son of Man will give this food to you. God, the Father, has given the Son authority to do this.’

Commentaries on John 17:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2As thou hast given him power - As the Messiah, Jesus Christ received from the Father universal dominion. All flesh, i.e. all the human race, was given unto him, that by one sacrifice of himself, he might reconcile them all to God; having by his grace tasted death for every man, Hebrews 2:9. And this was according to the promise of the universal inheritance made to Christ, Psalm 2:8, which was to be made up of the heathen, and the uttermost parts of the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2As thou hast given him power - It was on the ground of this power given to Christ that the apostles were commanded to go and teach all nations. See the notes at Matthew 28:18-19. All flesh - All men, Matthew 24:22; Luke 3:6. That he should give eternal life - See the notes at John 5:24. To as many as thou hast given him - See the notes at John 10:16; John 6:37. To all on whom the Father has purposed to bestow the blessings of redemption through his Son…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2All authority has been placed in Jesus’ hands (3:35); he can give eternal life as only God can (3:15; 5:21, 25–26).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-26(See on Joh 14:1). Had this prayer not been recorded, what reverential reader would not have exclaimed, Oh, to have been within hearing of such a prayer as that must have been, which wound up the whole of His past ministry and formed the point of transition to the dark scenes which immediately followed! But here it is, and with such signature of the Lips that uttered it that we seem rather to hear it from Himself than read it from the pen of His faithful…Read the comment

Topics related to John 17:2

• Immortality
• Jesus Continued
• Life
• Power
• Prayer
• Predestination
• Regeneration
• Righteous

In the dictionaries

• Eternal life
• Covenant
• Perseverance of the saints
• Predestination
• Sanctify
• Truth
• Wherewith
• Atonement
• Authority in Religion
• Christ, Offices of

Commentaries on John 17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings